JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – If you’re looking for something to do this weekend, the rodeo is making a pit stop in Jacksonville.
The Professional Bull Riders World Championship is Friday and Saturday in downtown Jacksonville. The cream of the crop – the top 40 bull riders in the world — will be competing for the title of World Champion.
Conner Halverson, a 22-year-old from Nebraska, said he’s thankful to be in the mix.
“This is something that I have worked my whole life for until this point to be here,” Halverson said. “We are still working on it and trying to get better every day. … I am very fortunate to be able to do what I love.”
Halverson, who’s been a professional bull rider for four years, said he’s wanted to be part of the sport since he was a child.
“I was probably 13 or 14 when I got on my first full grown bull. At that point, it was something that I knew I wanted to do for sure. It was a little bit rough, but I knew I wanted to do it, so I kept getting on,” he said.
Halverson, who will be making his Jacksonville debut as a pro, will compete with the other riders at 7:45 p.m. Friday and 6:45 p.m. Saturday at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena.
The venue has been transformed for the occasion. It’s covered in a thick layer of dirt.
“I am excited to be here. When you get to compete at the top level, it is always nice to be able to show up to these events and have a chance to win one,” Halverson said.
To be a pro bull rider, you have to look the part, so Halverson showed our News4JAX crew what it takes to master the thrilling sport.
First we tried on the protective gear — vest, chaps, glove and helmet — and then Halverson walked us through the lead up to getting on the bull in the chute before it’s unleashed.
His said his technique on the bull is to keep it simple and use the muscle memory he’s built over the years.
“When the bull rears, you are supposed to go forward, and when the bull kicks, you are supposed to lean back with them,” Halverson said. “That is pretty much it. And then you have the direction, if they go left or right.”
Sure, sounds easy. But we’ll probably stick to watching.
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